Jam packed Wilton

I was on a tight deadline at Wilton with four horses running in the Novice and a wedding in the afternoon! Mister Optimisitic (Mo) put in the best of four good dressage performances to score 23, and three of the four horses jumped clear in the show jumping.

Mo’s day was a bit of an anti-climax as he was technically eliminated for jumping over the top of a flag on a corner. It was low flag and I was pretty sure he was the correct side and the fence judge didn’t say anything so I continued but they retrospectively gave it as a fault. It’s a pity for Mo as he hasn’t had a cross-country fault before.

Wilton is a lovely setting but unfortunately the going was firm and unlevel in places so I decided not to run Tenareze, and ran the other horses very steadily. Catherston Definitive & Weston both jumped double clears.

Rosemary Cann, the entries secretary at Wilton, was very accommodating in fitting my horses in with minimal gaps between their times, and Jess did a great job to have them ready and waiting for me – and keeping me from stopping and talking to people during changeovers! I managed to get done by 1 o’clock and get to the wedding, so didn’t have to overtake the bride on the aisle!

We stayed with friends and had a rare day off on Sunday. The Fox-Pitt clan were there too and we had a fun time soaking up the sunshine in swimming trunks rather than breeches!